Pull the heater and defroster exchangers and have them boiled...at least.. They must have junk in them that you don't want in your "clean" system. Even if the stuff hasn't already clogged them it will soak up the additives in your spendy antifreeze. Have the colant analyzed after you get the system reassembled and run in so you will have a baseline for future troubleshooting and sched maint. You are supposed to change the AF on an interval basis but an analysis over rules that and might just advise a additive pac. Lots a money saved and with the damage coolant can do to the DD 2 stroke, lots of insurance.

John

Logged

"An uneducated vote is a treasonous act more damaging than any treachery of the battlefield.The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." Plato “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”—Pla

Well, I breezed thru my old posts looking for who wanted to know what it cost to have my radiator done. (I can't seem to find it) Oh well, I just got my bill today and it was 331.12. As usual for this sorry s.o.b. it was twice what he quoted. But there is noone else around that does it. Couple that with all the other expences............................ damn.

Just for information Chaz, rodding is about what your were doing, which is running a rod through each tube. The difference is that the radiator shop should have the right size rod for any size tube. Further, rodding usually opens up a bunch of leaks since many pin holes are just sealed with crud. The shop is also well equipped to test and solder, test and solder, etc.

Just "Boiling it out", rodding it, new gasket (I had one), and new bolts. Whether that is a good deal or not really isn't the point. The place I took it to is VERY well known for such crap. He bends allot of people over. Most are people who don't know any better! (Burns my @$#!) I have done work for him and even sold him a really nice welder for cheap and ALWAYS treated him right. Well, next time, BEND OVER!!! And no grease!!! If he bitches and goes somewhere else, he'll at least know what the score is. He's also the kind of guy who CONTINOUSLY bitches about money! Always trys to beat you down. And yet you should see the 3500 sq.ft. house he built. It wouldn't be so bad if he'd just keep his mouth shut. THAT'S what gets to me. I'm always tickled for people who do well!! It's admirable!!! But I think he thinks that if he pisses and moans enough it will off set the screwin you just took. Trust me, even his employees will tell you the same thing. By the way, he has a complete auto shop not just a radiator repair. I"d have went elsewhere if there was such a place.

I can empathize with what happened...next time if you have the time do it yourself you have more than enough talent to do it. For the rod brush you can use a gun cleaning rod with the proper caliber trimmed down to fit the rods. I know you can probably out solder most of us here...I personally like a high silver content solder rod for patching. soldering tank seems (non bolted tanks) pre tin the flats and walk it around adding with the rod.

If the rods are too small for a barrel brush rod get some coarse copper scrubbies break off a bit and use a steel welding rod to push through (bulb the end with a torch). (make sure you clean each tube well before assembly.

When soldering the rods have a very small tip and don't flash the fins.BTDT not good. Some use electric pencil tips and higher lead contents.......Oh well

As a side note the old school baths aren't used (so I've been told) epa probably can't even use caustic soda anymore

Thanx Skip for the nice compliment. I have done a couple radiator solder jobs in the past, but just wasn't sure as to what to do on such a grand scale. And time was a factor. And when he said about 90.00 to 150.00 I figured "what the hell". I can concentrate on something else. Oh, and by the way, I took the whole thing apart and marked everything so they didn't even have to do that!! Nice, huh. The tips you gave may come in handy some time....maybe even to one of the other guys! Thanx!! 'preciate it.

I leave with it tomorrow morning at 7:00 for the Louisville NSRA Nationals. I hope it works ok. It did get a little too warm on the last trip to Indy, but I added another gallon of water and replaced the middle "mud flap" underneath so I'm hoping that will make a difference. I have my parts buddy working on finding me a BIG Hayden trany cooler to also put on. (one like, I think, Tom put on his bus) If that doesn't get it, I guess it will be rebuild time.